Electroformed sheath

ABSTRACT

An electroformed sheath for protecting an airfoil includes a sheath body and a mandrel insert is provided. The sheath body includes a leading edge. The sheath body includes a pressure side wall and an opposed suction side wall, which side walls meet at the leading edge and extend away from the leading edge to define a cavity between the side walls. The sheath body includes a head section between the leading edge and the cavity. The mandrel insert is positioned between the pressure side and suction side walls, and includes a generally wedge-shaped geometry. A method for protecting an airfoil includes: 1) securing a mandrel insert to a mandrel; 2) electroplating a sheath body onto the mandrel and the mandrel insert; 3) removing the mandrel from the sheath body so that a sheath cavity is defined within the sheath body; and 4) securing the airfoil within the sheath cavity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to electroformed parts in general, and toan electroformed sheath for protecting a leading edge of an airfoil of agas turbine engine in particular.

2. Background Information

Historically, airfoils of gas turbine engines have been designed toprovide adequate mechanical strength and durability to protectthemselves from erosion and foreign object damage, and especially fromdamage as a result of leading edge impact with birds, ice, stones, sand,rain and other debris. Protective sheaths are often used to protect theleading edge.

It is known to manufacture protective sheaths using electroformingtechniques, as described, e.g., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,285, which isincorporated herein by reference. Electroforming techniques workreasonably well, but can also have constraints that make it difficult tomanufacture sheaths having certain characteristics (e.g., certaingeometries, dimensions, etc.). It is known to use a mandrel insert toovercome constraints of electroforming techniques. Still, there remainsa need in the art for electroformed sheaths having certaincharacteristics. There is also a need in the art for methods forprotecting airfoils of a gas turbine engine using such electroformedsheaths.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, an electroformedsheath for protecting an airfoil of a gas turbine engine is provided.The electroformed sheath includes a sheath body and a mandrel insert.The sheath body includes a leading edge. The sheath body includes apressure side wall and an opposed suction side wall, which side wallsmeet at the leading edge and extend away from the leading edge to definea cavity between the side walls. The sheath body includes a head sectionbetween the leading edge and the cavity. The mandrel insert ispositioned between the pressure side wall and suction side wall. Themandrel insert includes a cross-sectional geometry that is generallywedge-shaped.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method forprotecting an airfoil of a gas turbine engine is provided. The methodincludes the steps of: (1) securing an electrically conductive mandrelinsert to a mandrel, wherein the mandrel insert includes across-sectional geometry that is generally wedge-shaped; (2)electroplating, in an electroplate bath, a sheath body onto the mandreland the mandrel insert; (3) removing the mandrel from the sheath body sothat a sheath cavity is defined within the sheath body by the positionoccupied by the mandrel to form an electroformed sheath; and (4)securing the airfoil within the sheath cavity so that the electroformedsheath protects the airfoil.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an airfoil of agas turbine engine is provided. The airfoil includes a sheath body and amandrel insert. The sheath body includes a leading edge. The sheath bodyincludes a pressure side wall and an opposed suction side wall of thesheath body, which side walls meet at the leading edge and extend awayfrom the leading edge to define a cavity between the side walls. Thesheath body includes a head section between the leading edge and thecavity. The mandrel insert is positioned between the pressure side walland suction side wall. The airfoil fills the cavity in affixing theelectroformed sheath to the airfoil so that the leading edge, the headsection and the mandrel insert protect the airfoil. The mandrel insertincludes a cross-sectional geometry that is generally wedge-shaped.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the headsection is defined by a length and a width, and a ratio of the length tothe width is related to the radius.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the mandrelinsert is defined by a length and a width, and the width of the mandrelinsert is greater than a thickness of the sheath body pressure side wallor a thickness of the sheath body suction side wall.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the mandrelinsert is made of a non-metallic composite.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, thenon-metallic composite includes one or more of the following materials:fiber-reinforced thermoset composite, fiber-reinforced thermoplasticcomposite, continuous or discontinuous carbon fiber or fiberglass fiber,bismaleimide, polyimide families, or thermoplastic matrix resins.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the mandrelinsert is a honeycomb-like structure.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the mandrelinsert is coated with a metallic material.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, themetallic material includes one or more of the following materials:graphite, aluminum, silver or palladium.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, a dimensionof the mandrel insert is selected in order to achieve a dimension of thesheath body.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, a geometryof the mandrel insert is selected in order to achieve a geometry of thesheath body.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the sheathbody is made of a material that is capable of being electroplated.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the sheathbody is made of one or more of the following materials: nickel,nickel-cobalt alloy.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the airfoilis made of a first material and the mandrel insert is made of a secondmaterial, and the first material is less durable than the secondmaterial.

In a further embodiment of any of the foregoing embodiments, the airfoilis one of the following: a fan blade, a turbine blade, or a compressorblade.

The foregoing features and advantages and the operation of the inventionwill become more apparent in light of the following description of thebest mode for carrying out the invention and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary embodiment of a fanblade of a modem gas turbine engine employing an electroformed sheathconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram depicting an exemplaryembodiment of an electroformed sheath constructed in accordance with thepresent invention, showing the sheath on a mandrel.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary embodiment of anelectroformed sheath constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, showing the sheath removed from a mandrel.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram depicting an exemplary embodiment of amandrel insert used with the electroformed sheath of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings in detail, an electroformed sheath of thepresent invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3 and generally designated by thereference numeral 10. As best seen in FIG. 2, the electroformed sheath10 includes a sheath body 12 having a leading edge 14, a pressure sidewall 16 and an opposed suction side wall 18. The side walls 16, 18 meetat the leading edge 14 and extend away from the leading edge 14 todefine a sheath cavity 20. The side walls 16, 18 end at a pressure sidewall trailing edge 21 and a suction side wall trailing edge 22,respectively. The sheath body 12 also includes a head section 23extending between the leading edge 14 and the cavity 20. Theelectroformed sheath 10 also includes a mandrel insert 24 positionedbetween the pressure and suction side walls 16, 18 of the sheath body12. FIG. 1 shows the electroformed sheath 10 affixed to an airfoil 26 ofa fan blade 28. The fan blade 28 includes a root 30 that is configuredto engage a gas turbine engine fan hub (not shown) in a manner thatsecures the fan blade 28 to the hub. The present invention is notlimited to fan blade applications; the sheath 10 may alternatively beaffixed to other gas turbine rotary components; e.g., turbine blades,compressor blades, etc. FIG. 2 shows the electroformed sheath 10 duringmanufacturing, affixed to a mandrel 32. FIG. 3 shows the electroformedsheath 10 after being removed from the mandrel 32, but before beingaffixed to the airfoil 26 of fan blade 28, as discussed below.

Referring to FIG. 2, the head section 23 of the sheath body 12 has across-sectional geometry that is generally wedge-shaped. The headsection 23 is defined by a length 34, a width 36, and a height. Thelength 34 of the head section 23 is defined as the distance along anaxis equidistant between the pressure and suction side walls 16, 18extending from the leading edge 14 to the cavity 20. The width 36 of thehead section 23 is defined as a distance extending between the pressureand suction side walls 16, 18, as measured along an axis 24 a at the tipof the mandrel insert 24. The height is defined as a distance extendingbetween a sheath inner edge 38 and a sheath outer edge 40, as shown inFIG. 1. The ratio of the length 34 to the width 36 (hereinafter “thelength-to-width ratio”) may vary. The length-to-width ratio is relatedto the “sharpness” of the leading edge 14. The term “sharp”, andvariations thereof, are used herein to describe the relative size of aradius defined by the leading edge 14; e.g., a leading edge that definesa relatively small radius may be described as being “sharp”. It is notedthat although the leading edge 14 is described herein as defining aradius, the leading edge 14 need not be circular; e.g., the leading edge14 may be arcuate. The higher the length-to-width ratio, the sharper theleading 14 will be; e.g., a head section having a length-to-width ratioof 10:1 will typically be sharper than a head section having alength-to-width ratio of 1:1. The characteristics of the head section 23(e.g., geometry and dimensions) may be selected so as to reduce overallmass (and thus overall weight) of the sheath body 12.

Referring still to FIGS. 1 and 2, the pressure side wall 16 hasthicknesses defined as distances measured from an exterior surface 42 ofpressure side wall 16 to an opposed interior surface 44 of the pressureside wall 16. Similarly, the suction side wall 18 has thicknessesdefined as distances measured from an exterior surface 46 of suctionside wall 18 to an opposed interior surface 48 of the suction side wall18. The thicknesses of the pressure and suction side walls 16, 18 mayvary along their lengths; e.g., a thickness of the pressure side wall 16at a portion adjacent the head section 23 may be greater than athickness of the pressure side wall 16 at the pressure side walltrailing edge 21. The thicknesses of the pressure and suction side walls16, 18 may be relatively small so as to reduce overall mass (and thusoverall weight) of the sheath body 12. The pressure and suction sidewalls 16, 18 each have a length defined by a distance extending alongthe axis described above (i.e., the axis equidistant between thepressure and suction side walls 16, 18 extending from the leading edge14 to the cavity 20). In FIG. 2, the length of the pressure side wall 16of the sheath body 12 is greater than the length of the suction sidewall 18. In alternative embodiments, the length of the suction side wall18 of the sheath body 12 may be greater than or equal to the length ofthe pressure side wall 16.

The sheath body 12 is made of a material, or a combination of materials,capable of being electroplated to the mandrel insert 24 and mandrel 32.The sheath body 12 is typically made of a material, or a combination ofmaterials, that provides suitable impact resistance and durability.Nickel is a favored material because it is capable of beingelectroplated, it has a relatively low-density, and it provides suitableimpact resistance and durability. Other acceptable materials for thesheath body 12 include nickel-cobalt alloys. The sheath body 12 is notlimited to use with any particular material.

Referring to FIG. 4, the mandrel insert 24 includes a leading edge 50; apressure side 52 and a suction side 54, both of which extend from theleading edge 50; opposing ends 56, 58; and an aft portion 60 thatincludes a generally planar datum surface 62 that interconnects thesides 52, 54 and ends 56, 58 of the mandrel insert 24. The opposing ends56, 58 have a geometry that is generally wedge-shaped. The datum surface62 is defined by a width 64 and a height 66. The datum surface 62 is notlimited to any particular width 64. Notably, the width 64 of the datumsurface 62 may be greater than the thicknesses of the pressure andsuction sides 16, 18 of the sheath body 12. The mandrel insert 24 mayextend along the entire height of the sheath body 12; accordingly, theheight 66 of the datum surface 62 may be approximately equal to theheight of the head section 23 of the sheath body 12. The length 68 ofthe mandrel insert 24 is defined as the length along an axis equidistantbetween the sides 52, 54 extending from the leading edge 50 to the datumsurface 62. Because the sheath body 12 is electroplated about themandrel insert 24 (e.g., using the manufacturing processes discussedbelow), the characteristics of the mandrel insert 24 (e.g., geometry,width 64, height 66, length 68, etc.) correspond to the characteristicsof the sheath body 12 (e.g., geometry, length 34, width 34,length-to-width ratio, “sharpness” of the leading edge 14, etc.).Accordingly, one or more characteristics of the mandrel insert 24 may beselected in order to achieve one or more desired characteristics of thesheath body 12.

The mandrel insert 24 may be made from a material with greatermechanical strength and durability than the material of the sheath body12. The material of the mandrel insert 24 may be selected so that themandrel insert 24 provides acceptable mechanical strength and durabilitywhile also reducing the overall weight of the electroformed sheath 10.In some embodiments, the mandrel insert 24 is made from a non-metalliccomposite material (e.g., a fiber-reinforced thermoset or thermoplasticcomposite). The non-metallic composite material may include continuousor discontinuous carbon fiber or fiberglass fiber for reinforcement. Thenon-metallic composite material may include bismaleimide, or polyimidefamilies, or thermoplastic matrix resins such as polyetherimide orpolyether ether ketone. Carbon/epoxy is an acceptable material becauseit has a relatively low-density material, and has acceptable mechanicalstrength and durability. In embodiments in which the mandrel insert 24is fabricated from a non-metallic composite material, the mandrel insert24 may be coated with a material that is sufficiently conductive toenable electroplate formation of the sheath body 12 about the mandrelinsert 24. The coating material may include graphite, aluminum, silver,or other materials used to activate non-conductive surfaces, such aspalladium. In some embodiments, the mandrel insert 24 may be fabricatedfrom a metallic material (e.g., titanium, nickel, cobalt, or alloyscontaining combinations of titanium, nickel, or cobalt). The mandrelinsert 24 may be a solid structure, or it may include one or morecavities. In some embodiments, the mandrel insert 24 may be ahoneycomb-like structure.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the mandrel insert 24 is positioned withincavity 20 such that the pressure side 52 of the mandrel insert 24 mateswith the interior surface 44 of the pressure side wall 16 of the sheathbody 12, and such that the suction side 54 of the mandrel insert 24mates with the interior surface 48 of the suction side wall 18 of thesheath body 12. Referring to FIG. 1, the datum surface 62 mates with theairfoil 26 that is ultimately positioned within the cavity 20, asdiscussed below. The mandrel insert 24 is secured to the sheath body 12as a result of the electroforming process discussed below. Referring toFIG. 1, the electroformed sheath 10 is affixed to the airfoil 26 of thefan blade 28 in a manner well known in the art; e.g., using mechanicalfasteners, epoxy bonding, etc.

Manufacture

In manufacturing the electroformed sheath 10 of the present invention,the mandrel insert 24 is secured to the mandrel 32, which has anexterior surface that conforms to the airfoil 26 of the fan blade 28,minus the thickness of the mandrel insert 24 and the sheath body 12 tobe electroformed on the mandrel 32. The mandrel insert 24 is secured tothe mandrel 32 at a leading edge position 70 of the mandrel 32, whichposition 70 coincides with a leading edge section of the airfoil 26 ofthe fan blade 28. The mandrel 32 and mandrel insert 24 are placed in anappropriate electroplate bath, and the leading edge 14, pressure andsuction side walls 16, 18 and head section 23 form around conductivesurfaces of the mandrel 32 and mandrel insert 24 to form the sheath body12 with the mandrel insert 24. The mandrel insert 24 enhanceselectroformation of material from the electroplate bath around theleading edge position 70 of the mandrel 32; e.g., the mandrel insert 24facilitates the electroformation of a sheath body 12 havingcharacteristics (e.g., geometry, length 34, width 34, length-to-widthratio, “sharpness” of the leading edge 14, etc.) that, due toconstraints of electroforming techniques, might be difficult orexpensive to achieve without the use of the mandrel insert 24.

The mandrel 32 and mandrel insert 24 remain in the electroplate bath fora pre-determined time necessary for the sheath body 12 to beelectroplated around the mandrel insert 24 and mandrel 32. The mandrel32 is then removed from the bath, and the sheath body 12 and mandrelinsert 24 are mechanically removed from the mandrel 32 in a manner wellknown in the art. When the sheath body 12 is removed from the mandrel32, the mandrel insert 24 remains in the sheath body 12, and the sheathcavity 20 is defined within the sheath body 12 by the area previouslyoccupied by the mandrel 32, as shown in FIG. 3. The electroformed sheath10 is then affixed to the airfoil 26 of the fan blade 28, as shown inFIG. 1, in a manner well known in the art; e.g., using mechanicalfasteners, epoxy bonding, etc.

Operation

Referring to FIG. 1, in operation, high-speed rotation of the fan blade28 will result in contact with foreign objects being limited to contactwith the leading edge 14 of the sheath 10. Before any such foreignobject could reach and damage the airfoil 26 of the blade 28, it wouldhave to completely penetrate both the head section 23 of the sheath body12 and the mandrel insert 24. Consequently, the electroformed sheath 10of the present invention affords substantially enhanced protection for apart such as fan blade 28.

As a result of the various embodiments disclosed herein, the currentinvention fully addresses the needs in the art for electroformed sheathshaving certain characteristics and for methods for protecting airfoilsof a gas turbine engine using such electroformed sheaths. While variousembodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, it will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many moreembodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of theinvention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be restrictedexcept in light of the attached claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electroformed sheath for protecting an airfoilof a gas turbine engine, comprising: a sheath body having a leadingedge; a pressure side wall and an opposed suction side wall of thesheath body, which side walls meet at the leading edge and extend awayfrom the leading edge to define a cavity between the side walls; a headsection of the sheath body between the leading edge and the cavity; anda mandrel insert positioned between the pressure side wall and suctionside wall; wherein the mandrel insert includes a cross-sectionalgeometry that is generally wedge-shaped.
 2. The electroformed sheath ofclaim 1, wherein the head section is defined by a length and a width,and wherein a ratio of the length to the width is related to the radius.3. The electroformed sheath of claim 1, wherein the mandrel insert isdefined by a length and a width, and wherein the width of the mandrelinsert is greater than a thickness of the sheath body pressure side wallor a thickness of the sheath body suction side wall.
 4. Theelectroformed sheath of claim 1, wherein the mandrel insert is made of anon-metallic composite.
 5. The electroformed sheath of claim 4, whereinthe non-metallic composite includes one or more of the followingmaterials: fiber-reinforced thermoset composite, fiber-reinforcedthermoplastic composite, continuous or discontinuous carbon fiber orfiberglass fiber, bismaleimide, polyimide families, or thermoplasticmatrix resins.
 6. The electroformed sheath of claim 4, wherein themandrel insert is a honeycomb-like structure.
 7. The electroformedsheath of claim 4, wherein the mandrel insert is coated with a metallicmaterial.
 8. The electroformed sheath of claim 7, wherein the metallicmaterial includes one or more of the following materials: graphite,aluminum, silver or palladium.
 9. The electroformed sheath of claim 1,wherein a dimension of the mandrel insert is selected in order toachieve a dimension of the sheath body.
 10. The electroformed sheath ofclaim 1, wherein a geometry of the mandrel insert is selected in orderto achieve a geometry of the sheath body.
 11. The electroformed sheathof claim 1, wherein sheath body is made of a material that is capable ofbeing electroplated.
 12. The electroformed sheath of claim 1, whereinthe sheath body is made of one or more of the following materials:nickel, nickel-cobalt alloy.
 13. A method for protecting an airfoil of agas turbine engine, the method comprising the steps of: securing anelectrically conductive mandrel insert to a mandrel, wherein the mandrelinsert includes a cross-sectional geometry that is generallywedge-shaped; electroplating, in an electroplate bath, a sheath bodyonto the mandrel and the mandrel insert; removing the mandrel from thesheath body so that a sheath cavity is defined within the sheath body bythe position occupied by the mandrel to form an electroformed sheath;and securing the airfoil within the sheath cavity so that theelectroformed sheath protects the airfoil.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein the mandrel insert is made of a non-metallic composite.
 15. Anairfoil of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a sheath body having aleading edge; a pressure side wall and an opposed suction side wall ofthe sheath body, which side walls meet at the leading edge and extendaway from the leading edge to define a cavity between the side walls; ahead section of the sheath body between the leading edge and the cavity;and a mandrel insert positioned between the pressure side wall andsuction side wall; wherein the airfoil fills the cavity in affixing theelectroformed sheath to the airfoil so that the leading edge, the headsection and the mandrel insert protect the airfoil; wherein the mandrelinsert includes a cross-sectional geometry that is generallywedge-shaped.
 16. The airfoil of claim 15, wherein the airfoil is madeof a first material and the mandrel insert is made of a second material,wherein the first material is less durable than the second material. 17.The airfoil of claim 16, wherein the airfoil is one of the following: afan blade, a turbine blade, or a compressor blade.